The need for precision leadership has become increasingly stark in a world of diminishing funds. As technology races onwards, trampling job seekers underfoot, fundraising roles are shifting. Even senior managerial roles are not immune to the vagaries of a harsh and competitive job market.

Andrew Hyland, recruitment and resourcing manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, says fundraising has changed greatly in recent years, and with it necessary management skills have changed too.

"There are so many different channels," he says. "Mobile technology, online giving and new initiatives such as Twitter and Facebook, which heads of fundraising need to have an understanding of – the competition to find the right mix of skills and personal qualities is intense."

Macmillan has just experienced this intense competition in its search for a new head of fundraising. Hyland describes the quest as "a comprehensive and rigorous campaign involving an executive search agency, our own executive management team and board members". After interviewing four high-calibre candidates, three external and one internal, they plumped for their own co-director of external affairs.

"Macmillan was looking for someone who would bring fresh ideas, solid thought leadership and enthusiasm to the role," says Hyland, "and Lynda [Thomas] continually stood out as the outstanding candidate."

While the charity makes sure it looks externally, he says Macmillan takes a pragmatic approach when recruiting for high-profile roles. "Macmillan always endeavours to recruit people of the highest calibre, while balancing the need to support our own succession-planning objectives and promote and encourage our own people."

Paul Marvell, director of learning at the Institute of Fundraising (IoF), believes that charities still pluck from a small pool of voluntary-sector candidates. He doesn't think it is easy for fundraising heads to migrate from other sectors. "It's a challenge to get through the door," he says. "At the moment, [recruiters] are not looking out of the charity sector."

He warns that fishing in the same pool of potential recruits is risky for the sector. "There's a shortage of really good directors, in particular those who manage a big fundraising team of several hundred staff at a big charity." And yet not enough commercial people from outside the sector are applying for these roles, "because they feel they don't have the experience".

He describes the kind of person larger charities are looking for as: "Someone who can manage a large team and have exceptional communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, because as a head fundraiser you're expected to interact with the donors.

"Organisations are now looking for very wealthy people, so directors of fundraising need to be able to network or mix with high-net-worth individuals or corporates."

Excellent financial ability, as well as people management skills are essential, he says. "Because you could be managing tens or hundreds of millions [of pounds]".

People with experience of major gift fundraising also have a good chance of being recruited as heads of fundraising, he says. "Major gift fundraising is the thing that charities are trying to do at the moment, because there's a shortage of people with that experience. So people in the commercial sector working with corporates might have transferable skills."

Straitened times also require brighter minds, says Marvell: "People who can innovate – organisations are having to look at how they do things and new ways of innovating are going to become absolutely critical."

And increasingly, he says, employers are looking for fundraising qualifications "as an indicator of commitment". The IoF offers its own certificates and diplomas in fundraising.

Nick Billingham is senior fundraising consultant at TPP Not for Profit recruitment consultancy. He agrees with Marvell that very few heads of fundraising are poached from the private sector, with most coming from within.

"And within that, there's very much a trend for people to have had experience in corporate fundraising. That's an indication of the focus that lots of charities are putting on corporate fundraising at the moment – they want people who have experience of winning new contracts from corporate business as well as the ability to fundraise from varied sources."

The focus on corporate experience, he says, has come because "lots of charities have seen the successes that, for instance, Save the Children have had, winning corporate fundraising [from such companies as] Morrisons".

He says the other area of experience that recruiters are looking for in potential fundraising heads is that of major donors. "[Charities] are looking at these two areas where they can potentially get new income, as a result of the statutory cuts that have come [to the sector]".

Other skills he thinks fundraising heads should demonstrate are strong leadership and strategic insight abilities.

Sujata Sagrani is charities recruitment team manager at Eden Brown recruitment consultancy. She says, when looking to recruit heads of fundraising, charities pinpoint "a steady track record in various fundraising streams including corporate, major donor and trust fundraising. People with strategic minds are great contenders. Those holding positions as managers currently within charities, with the relevant experience and drive to take on further responsibilities are also often in the running."

However, she doesn't feel that the pressure on jobs has changed skills requirements for heads of fundraising. "The skills we look for remain mostly the same – experience, combined with reliability and a strong work ethic. Clients are also happy to take people on from a corporate background. As the market is so competitive, however, companies can now be more demanding about what they're looking for in applicants."

Sharper skills will give candidates the edge. Billingham says his experience shows that the economic climate has not resulted in a significant shortage of either vacancies or applicants for fundraising heads at the moment – the issue is more that not everyone has the right skills. "I'd imagine it's becoming more stressful, but it doesn't seem to be putting people off," he says.